T-REX ICF CATALOG MANAGER

What are some specifics of T-REX Access Method Services/Extended?

One Command
T-REX is the MVS industry’s first tool to not only diagnose and detect catalog problems, but to automatically correct the problem without the need to build control cards. When control cards are built, the user must run extra steps to correct the issues. At DINO we do everything in one step. While the option to create control cards is supported, we don’t see the need to cause extra work for the end user. We have built an entire product around this philosophy.

All of the catalog diagnostic procedures within T-REX come delivered with this AUTOFIX capability. With each command, you can execute many catalog diagnostic procedures. When problems are encountered, you have the option of instructing T-REX to automatically correct the problem or generate control cards to be used later. No other product on the market has this automated facility.

With one command, you not only can verify that all ALIAS entries for every connected catalog are intact, but you can verify each defined ALIAS for every connected catalog is actually in use. An optional cross-reference report details each ALIAS for every catalog. If ALIAS entries are found to be missing, T-REX can be instructed to automatically correct the problem. Likewise, if any ALIAS entries are not in use, T-REX can automatically remove them. No other product on the market can accomplish all this with one command.

With one command, you can backup every connected user catalog in your shop. You can also backup every VVDS and cluster with the same command. T-REX offers complete flexibility when backing up your VSAM clusters, catalogs and VVDSs. If you want to backup your catalogs to one DDname and your VVDS’s to another – no problem. If you want to duplex each of these or write to one hundred files – no problem.

With one command (and without the need for the user to define any temporary work files) you can take a T-REX catalog backup and merge in all SMF updates since the backup. If the backup file happens to be in IDCAMS EXPORT format – no problem. T-REX will read in the EXPORTED file, apply SMF updates and create a new IDCAMS EXPORT format backup.

Capable. Cost Effective.
T-REX requires very little in terms of resources or CPU time and affords huge performance advantages over all other solutions. You save in terms of costs, avoid production disruptions and can be assured of the best possible conditions when you access your files. T-REX gives you the ability to perform comprehensive MVS cluster and catalog maintenance, repair, and recovery in a fraction of the time and with greater reliability and flexibility than with any other tool.

Tech Talk Articles

New HSM Adminisaurus V3.2 From Dino-Software Eases Wrestling with HSM
By Denny Yost, ETJ Magazine (5-minute read)
Wrestling with DFSMShsm (HSM) to keep it properly managed is no easy task. Under ordinary circumstances, understanding what HSM is doing and monitoring the health of the HSM environment is tedious … at best. Administrators require years of experience in storage management with HSM before they can somewhat manage it. To interpret what functions of HSM are executing successfully takes hours of work if you are lucky and days for those not so lucky.
Dino-Software has taken on the challenge of wrestling with DFSMShsm by taming it with HSM Adminisaurus (HSA). HSA greatly simplifies managing HSM by providing over 30 pre-established... Read More

ETJ First Impression: T-REX V7.3

New T-REX V 7.3 From Dino-Software Delivers Added Functionality
By Denny Yost, ETJ Magazine (5-minute read)
If you have ever been responsible for maintaining ICF catalogs and VSAM clusters, it probably reminds you of playing the arcade game Whac-A-Mole. Just when you think everything is under control, a broken index is detected for a VSAM object. Or, the CA/CI splits you fixed the other day, really didn’t get fixed. Or, the myriad of other fun things that can go wrong decide to do so on a Friday afternoon at a busy time for your company or organization. Can you still remember the feeling you experienced the last time.... Read More

Introduction to Concurrent Copy -

By Jim Ratliff, Dino-Software (12-minute read) Concurrent Copy is the IBM solution that allows data to be copied or dumped while it is still active. To utilize Concurrent Copy (CC), you must have the feature activated on the Control Unit that contains your data.
Concurrent Copy may be used for Backup, Copy or Dump operations from either DFSMShsm (DFHSM), DFSMSdss (DFDSS), or both. Data may be identified by individual dataset name or volume serial number. In either case, once the data is identified, Concurrent Copy will process the data by protecting and copying tracks. This means if a dataset has a single 80-byte record on a given track, the entire track is identified and processed. There is no record level processing in Concurrent Copy.
There are many references in the IBM DFSMS publications identifying how to use CC; therefore, this paper gives an overview of the resources being utilized so the user gains a better understanding of why CC is more complex than often realized.
After reading and understanding this information, you should be able to define your Concurrent Copy data and initiate Concurrent Copy with a higher success rate than you may have obtained in the past. Read More

Universal Data Manager (UDM) 2.3 Further Advances Dino-Software's Unique Solution
By Denny Yost, ETJ Magazine (5-minute read)
Data continues to grow at a rapid pace, filling storage space almost as fast as it is made available. Yet, the management of the tape robots, tape catalogs, DFSMSHSM, ICF catalogs, DASD volumes and more has not been greatly simplified. In many cases, the challenge of managing the vast quantity of data and storage devices has only increased in complexity. In addition, experienced storage management personnel continue to retire, leaving the less experienced to master the juggling of a menagerie of management tools, hardware, folders, files and data.... Read More

T-REX V7.2 From Dino-Software Further Aids Catalog Management
By Denny Yost, ETJ Magazine (5-minute read)
Chances are good that when it comes to working with VSAM files or catalogs you have been there, done that and don't have find memories of the experience. For example, do you cringe anytime someone mentions the need to mend a VSAM broken index that occurred in the middle of the night or having to use IBM's Access Method Services (IDCAMS) utility for just about anything? Or what about untimely processing failures because you weren't aware that a BCS had reached the maximum number of allowable extents? It would be easy to mention many other VSAM and catalog management... Read More

By Bill Wilkie, Dino-Software (5-minute read)An interesting scenario challenging the security of temporary data sets and sort work areas was brought to our attention, so we are conducting some market research on the subject and request readers to weigh in with their opinions.... Read More . . .

By Denny Yost, ETJ Magazine (5-minute read)

With a significant percent of Fortune 500 size organization’s running on mainframe systems, their value and importance are critical to the continued success of the enterprise. Yet, running these applications in the most efficient manner possible to speed execution time and minimize resource usage continues to be challenging if the proper steps are not taken. A key area of focus is always determining and setting the best buffering environment for an application when accessing VSAM and non-VSAM data. Read more . . .